


Lost Faith

by CarnwennanB312



Series: A Leap of Faith [2]
Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M, Keelah Si'yah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2019-01-26 20:22:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 13,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12565440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarnwennanB312/pseuds/CarnwennanB312
Summary: The Quarian Ark has appeared in Govorkam but even pirates know not to mess with a ship that broadcasts a warning like the one coming from the Keelah Si'yah.Its up to Scott Ryder, INTERIM Pathfinder, to find out what is going on, all-the-while dealing with the hole left by his sister's absence.Sequel to "Faith" and unofficial Quarian Ark DLC Story.





	1. Shots Fired

“Scott there is a transmission from Reyes Vidal. He says it is urgent.”

“Thanks, SAM. I’ll take it in the com room,” replied Scott.

His furrowed brow was the cause of many quizzical glances. The crew knew that communication with the Collective had been sparse since Meridian. 

Not that Scott blamed the notorious smuggler turned king of Kadara. If his last conversation with Reyes Vidal was any indication, the man had an excellent reason for keeping his distance. Unfortunately, only one person could know for sure Reyes’ motivations, and she was on the Hyperion under the watchful eye of Doctor Harry Carlyle. So all Scott could do was shrug before turning to head for the com room.

Calling the com room a “room” was a misnomer of the highest degree. Scott could almost feel the nosy crew straining their ears as he touched the interface. 

Reyes’ holographic image appeared across the table, his easy smile empty of light.

“Pathfinder,” he greeted.

“INTERIM Pathfinder. I’m just keeping the Tempest warm until Sara wakes up.”

Reyes’ smile died but his voice took on a teasing tone, “It’s been almost a year. It’s time you got used to people calling you PATHFINDER.”

Scott scowled in reply, “SAM said you had something important to discuss?”

Reyes’ crossed arms were an indication that Scott’s lack of response was noted. 

“The Quarian Ark is in the Govorkam.”

Scott’s eyes widened, “You found the Keelah Si'yah?”

“Not me,” said Reyes, falling into the persona of a man with nothing to lose and everything to gain. “Some pirates stumbled upon the Ark but they knew better than to try to board an Ark fitted with cannons.”

“Cannons?”

“Yes, and warning any ship that gets within range it will be fired upon.”

“Holy shit.”

“Given their last message to the Nexus, are you really surprised?”

Scott narrowed his eyes on the hologram, “How did you know about that?”

Reyes scoffed, “How do you think?”

“Right… thanks for letting me know.”

Reyes’ gaze turned hard, “Anytime. After all, we are allies.”

“Good to know,” replied Scott with a suspicious glare. “I’ll let you know what happens with the Ark.”

“I appreciate it, Pathfinder,” Reyes smirked, emphasizing the title Scott refused to take.

Scott hung up.

 

When Scott returned to the bridge, it was to find nearly the entire crew waiting for him.

“What did Reyes want?” asked Peebee, nearly bouncing with nervous energy, “Did he ask-“

A feigned cough from Liam saved the room from the tension her question would have created. They all remembered the way Reyes had reacted after Meridian. Becoming darkness personified, he had demanded to be dropped off at the nearest outpost. Lexi had tried to speak to him only to find that asking the Charlatan questions he didn’t want to answer was hazardous.

“He was calling to let us know that the Quarian Ark is in Govorkam.”

“Is everyone okay?” asked Vetra.

“I’m assuming not considering that a looping message has been warning nearby ships to steer clear.”

“And I’m assuming we won’t be heeding that warning?” asked Liam with a smile.

Scott smirked, “Nope.”

Drack laughed, “I’ll get my shotgun.”


	2. Trustworthy

Scott wasn’t sure what he expected but it wasn’t the heavily modified ark that greeted him. The arms of the ship were like talons gripping the rear of the vessel menacingly. The ark’s body was mostly the same except dotted with large turrets. They were rounded weapons with long barrels and made from a strange metal that changed colors in the light of Govorkam’s yellow sun.

“Repeating. For the safety of everyone living in this cluster, any vessels that come within range of the Keelah Si'yah will be fired upon. Repeating. For the safety-“

The voice that spoke the broadcasted warning was calm and collected, the opposite of the frantic cry from the message the Nexus had received months earlier.

“What do you think they mean ‘for the safety of everyone in the cluster’?” asked Suvi.

“I don’t know but it sounds bad,” replied Scott before addressing the ceiling in a habit he couldn’t seem to break, “SAM see if you can open a channel with the Ark.”

“Yes, Scott.”

Pausing for only a moment, Scott spoke with feigned confidence, “This is Scott Ryder, Interim Pathfinder for Ark Hyperion. If anyone can hear this, please respond.”

A moment later, a beep alerted him that someone wanted to speak on a private channel.

“Scott, the transmission is encrypted with an unfamiliar language that I cannot decipher. There is no way to know who is on the other end.”

“I thought you could decipher anything?” said Scott a teasing tone to his voice that didn’t match the deep frown on his face.

“The language appears to have no linear pattern. As if transmitting random information rather than organized data.”

Scott tapped his omnitoool, opening the encrypted channel.

“This is Zeenn'Lulin, Acting Pathfinder,” said the filtered voice, “You said you’re a Pathfinder too?”

“Yeah, call me Scott. Did you say you’re ‘acting’ pathfinder?” 

“I did,” there was a short pause before Zeenn continued, “My father was killed shortly after we arrived in the cluster. Afterward, Pathfinder authority passed to me as the sole member of the Pathfinder team still alive.”

Scott felt his blood run cold at the familiarity of the story, “What do you need?”

There was a short silence followed by a vibrating sigh, “You won’t believe me.”

“You can’t know that for sure,” replied Scott, his voice commanding rather than reassuring.

“No, you’ll have to see for yourself,” the Quarian’s voice took on a similar tone to Scott’s, “If I get a shuttle, can I dock with your ship?”

“I would advise caution,” said SAM on their private channel, “We can not know if Zeenn’Lulin is trustworthy.”

“How about we meet on the ground? There is a habitable planet nearby with an initiative outpost.” offered Scott.

“No, we can’t meet anywhere populated.”

Scott’s brow furrowed at the worried tone in the Quarian’s voice, “Why not?”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“Why?”

“I already told you. You won’t believe me.”

Scott sighed in annoyance, “Zeenn, I want to trust you but you’re not giving me much to go on.”

“I know, I know,” replied Zeenn, his exasperation matching Scott’s, “I wish I could be more forthcoming but I promise, the secrecy is necessary.”

A moment of silence passed before Zeenn spoke once more. “How about this? We can meet on the planet but it must be somewhere remote.”

“Fine,” said Scott as he tapped his omnitool, “I’m sending you some coordinates.”

“Got them. I’ll meet you there shortly.”

Scott didn’t reply, ending the call without any decorum and immediately sending out another call.

“So soon, Pathfinder?” said Reyes over the channel, his voice a mix of amused and antagonistic, “Even Sara didn’t work that fast.”

Scott stifled a growl. “I set up a meeting with the Quarian Pathfinder at Spirit’s Ledge. I need to know the area’s clear of outlaws.”

There was a devious smile in Reyes’ voice, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you aren’t disturbed.”

“Good.” Scott moved to hang up but Reyes’ voice stopped him.

“If you can spare the time, I need help with something,” his tone of voice told Scott that whatever Reyes wanted, it wasn’t a request.

Scott sighed, “Fine. I’ll contact you when I get the chance.”

“I’ll be waiting, Pathfinder.”


	3. Source Code

When the shuttle finally appeared on the horizon, Scott sighed in relief. It didn’t help that Peebee was pacing around the Nomad while Drack’s eyes regularly surveyed the landscape, Setting Scott on edge.

The vessel touched down and the door swung open to reveal an incredibly young Quarian. Zeenn was barely out of adolescence, too young for the way his shoulders hunched.

“Thanks for agreeing to meet me. I know I haven’t made things easy on you,” said Zeenn, holding out his hand in greeting.

Scott took it, gripping it firmly and tried to keep his voice light, “I have to say, I’m very curious. What was so unbelievable that we had to come all the way out here?”

Zeenn looked down, wringing his hands, “You have to promise not to be scared. He won’t harm you as long as you don’t draw your weapon. Okay?”

Scott’s brow furrowed but Drack was the one that spoke up, “What do you got in there kid? A doomsday device?”

Zeenn sighed and turned to call over his shoulder, “Come on out Alpha.”

Stepping from the shuttle was a bipedal machine, one Scott would recognize anywhere.

“This is Geth unit 314AO,” said Zeenn.

“Greetings,” said the Geth, its synthetic voice monotonous, “You may call me Alpha. I am pleased to meet you, Pathfinder Scott Ryder.”

“Holy hell,” Scott breathed, his wide eyes glued to the Geth. It was only when the air around him began to hum that he blinked and took a calming breath.

“I can see why you said we wouldn’t believe you,” said Peebee, bouncing forward to examine the Geth unit more closely, “Friendly Geth is pretty astonishing.”

“Its more than that,” said Zeenn who was watching Peebee, “the Geth aboard the Keelah Si’yah claim to be individuals.”

“Correct. While in the Milky Way the Geth infiltration units aboard the Keelah Si’yah consisted of a total of 43,224 individual programs. Now we are 24 individual units with complex consciousness in place of the previous consensus.”

“Infiltration units?” asked Scott, “What were you planning to do aboard the Ark?”

“Survive,” replied the Geth.

Scott looked to Zeenn in question but he just bowed his head, “We have a lot to talk about.” Zeenn looked back up, his glowing eyes trained on Scott, “but that will have to wait. Right now, I need your help.

“When we arrived in Andromeda, the Geth who had boarded the Ark announced themselves in the hope of brokering a truce. The Captain, my father, the Pathfinder team and the bridge crew were the only ones awake at the time, so when my father and the Captain decided that the Geth couldn’t be trusted, it was up to the Pathfinder team to 'deal' with them.

“So when-”

Zeenn bowed his head and wrung his hands once more, unable to continue. 

Alpha was unaware of Zeenn's discomfort, picking up the story where Zeenn had left off. “Zeenn'Lulin did not fire upon us. We simply defended ourselves from the Creators who wished to harm us.”

When Scott’s widened gaze settled on Zeenn, he finally looked up and began to explain, “My father was a Marine. To him, the Geth would always be an enemy. I told him that we came to Andromeda to find a new home, not to fight an old enemy. He- he didn’t listen. No one would.

“Now the Captain plans to jettison the cyropods and fly the Ark into a sun, destroying the Geth once and for all."

Alpha spoke up once more, looking to Scott, "We have made it harder for the Keelah Si'yah crew to access the systems necessary to jettison the pods but without access to the bridge we cannot stop them. We require your assistance to gain access to the bridge and open up a dialogue with the Creator-Captain.”

“And how are we supposed to do that?” asked Drack, “If she won’t listen to Zeenn here, what makes you think she’ll listen to Ryder?”

The Geth’s top plates shifted in what was likely confusion, “Reyes Vidal spoke very highly of 'The Human Pathfinder' and their ability to broker agreements between opposing factions.”

Scott rolled his eyes. Of course they had spoken to Reyes. 

Scott looked to the ground, "He was talking about my sister. She was the Pathfinder before me."

“Oh,” said Zeenn, his voice hesitant, "Then you aren't going to help us?"

Scott sighed in exasperation, "I didn't say that. I promise I will do everything I can to make sure everyone aboard the Keelah Si'yah is safe."

Zeenn's shoulders rose slightly as if a weight were lifted from them. Alpha, on the other hand, seemed to focus his attention on Scott's face as if it were searching for something there.

Ignoring it, Scott took a fortfying breath, "Let’s start with the basics. Can your SAM access the Ark's systems?”

“The Keelah Si’yah never had a SAM,” Zeenn glanced at Alpha, “Why?”

“We need to get past the cannons to board the ship and stop the jettison,” said Drack as if the line of reasoning were obvious.

“Oh. That is easy. Right, Alpha?”

Alpha froze for a moment, seemingly to stare off into the distance before addressing Zeenn's question, “Yes. We added your ship’s signature to the Ark’s friend or foe system. We can embark any time you would like.”

“Good. Head back to the Ark. We’ll be there shortly.”

“Understood,” replied Zeenn and Alpha simultaneously.

Scott nodded and turned toward the Nomad.

“Want me to signal the Tempest for a pickup?” asked Peebee.

“No,” replied Scott as he slid into the driver’s seat and closed the door behind him, “We need to make a quick stop at Tartarus first.”


	4. Deal

One look around Tartarus had Scott understanding what Sara had meant when she said Reyes called the bar ‘home’. Everything about the place was darkness with sex appeal. Even the cages spoke of fantasies few would admit to.

When Scott approached the bar, the bartender didn’t even look up from his cleaning to properly acknowledge them. He merely motioned toward the back of the establishment.

“Top of the stairs and to your left. He’s expecting you.”

The directions were clear enough, leading Scott to a private room where Reyes was lounging in all his casually dangerous glory. The smuggler made a show of slowly sipping whiskey while examining Scott closely.

With a shrug, Reyes set his still half-full glass aside and waved Scott toward the couch.

“Glad you’re here, Pathfinder. I was starting to wonder if you had forgotten about me.”

“Not likely Vidal. Especially after you recommended my services to the Quarian Pathfinder and his…friends.”

Reyes smirked, “I help when I can.”

“You call that help?” asked Drack, “Sending us in there without a clue?”

Reyes leaned forward, “If I had told you exactly what was waiting for you on the Ark, would you have believed me?”

Scott rolled his eyes, “I’m done with the cloak and dagger bullshit. Tell me what you want.”

“There is a certain piece of tech I would like you to find and scan for me while you’re aboard the Ark. I have it on good authority that the Quarians brought it across dark space.”

“What is it?”

“An implant meant to allow organics to directly communicate with synthetics. Apparently, a shadowy organization back in the Milky Way was developing it to control the Geth but I’d like to see if it could be used to communicate with the Remnant.”

“Giving the Collective the technological advantage,” said Peebee, her annoyance plain.

“Precisely.”

Reyes tone was light, almost teasing, but something was off about him. Something was missing.

That’s when Scott realized Reyes was lying. 

Crossing his arms, Scott eyed the smuggler knowingly, “Alright Vidal, I’ll make you a deal. I find your tech and you tell me what you’re REALLY planning to do with it.”

Reyes smiled, “Deal.”


	5. Friends

The Keelah Si’yah was just as quiet as the Paarchero had been, an unwanted comparison that set Scott’s teeth on edge. It took all his willpower to keep his biotics under control.

“SAM, see if you can contact Zeenn.”

“Yes, Scott.”

“Something is wrong,” said Jaal.

“Agreed. Keep your eyes open but weapons holstered.”

“Yeah,” said Vetra, “this situation is volatile enough as it is and I don’t like being shot at if I can avoid it.”

Scott nodded as a familiar synthetic voice of Alpha came over the coms. Or maybe it was another Geth? Did they all sound the same?

“Pathfinder Ryder. Creator Zeenn was taken captive upon our arrival aboard the Keelah Si’yah.”

Scott furrowed his brow, “He was captured by the Captain?”

“Negative. While we were on the planet, the Captain attacked the Geth left aboard. Upon repelling the attack, a consensus was reached. The Geth now believe an offensive strategy is required.”

“Do you agree with them?” asked Scott, his thoughts turning dangerous.

“No, I wish to help Creator Zeenn. He…is my friend.”

That hit Scott hard. Not so much the words but the way Alpha said them. The hesitation in its mechanical voice, the passion behind the confession, it was almost organic. 

“Will you assist me in the rescue of Creator Zeenn, Pathfinder Ryder?”

Scott took a deep breath and asked the question that had become his mantra since Meridian.

What would Sara do?

Letting the breath out slowly, Scott knew the answer.

“Yes, Alpha. Send me the coordinates for your current position so we can form up and discuss strategy.”

“Thank you, Pathfinder Ryder.”

Scott frowned, “Just call me Ryder, okay?”

“As you wish.”

 

The coordinates Alpha gave them led to an empty engineering bay. The whirring of machinery set the team at ease, a distraction from the silence of the docking bay that held too many memories.

“They are holding Creator Zeenn in a science lab near the back of the ship,” said Alpha as they entered the room. The Geth was already moving toward the exit before Scott moved to stand in its path.

“Woah there. We can’t just go running in guns blazing. That will just get us and Zeenn killed.”

Alpha nodded in a very Quarian-like gesture, over exaggerating the movement. 

“Yes, of course. We must formulate a strategy that will insure no harm comes to Creator Zeenn. Do you have any suggestions?”

Scott shook his head. “This Ark is different from the others, so I don’t know the layout.”

Alpha held out an open palm and a full map of the ship appeared. It pointed to the room where Zeenn was being held and listed the potential weaknesses as if merely reciting from a database. Scott, Vetra, and Jaal gathered around the hologram and silently speculated on possible points of egress.

“Our best option would be to come in from this corridor,” said Vetra after a few moments, gesturing toward a passage marked as maintenance access.

“That entrance is sealed and would require decrypting the Geth security protocols,” said Alpha.

It was then that SAM spoke up, “That door appears to have only seventeen layers of encryption when compared to the twenty-two layers found at the main entrance. I believe that the maintenance passage is our best option.”

The plates atop Alpha’s head shifted erratically, “That voice is synthetic.”

Scott nodded absently, his attention still on the layout of the Ark, “Yeah, that’s SAM. He’s the Human Pathfinder A.I.”

“Are you self-aware?” asked the Geth and it took Scott a moment to realize it was speaking to SAM directly.

“Yes,” replied SAM, not missing a beat.

Scott watched curiously as the Geth looked across the room, not focusing on anything in particular but continuing to speak, “Do you have a platform?”

“I am contained within a system on the Ark Hyperion but through Scott’s implant I am able to assist him in his duties as Interim Pathfinder.”

It took a moment for that to sink in but when it did, Alpha’s head plates lifted toward Scott.

“Zeenn said that the Creator Pathfinders did not have a SAM A.I. Am I correct to assume that this is unusual?”

“Uh, yeah. All the other Arks have SAMs. Well, at least they did.”

“’Did?’”

Scott frowned, “Yeah, the Turian and Salarian SAMs had to be shut down.”

“Why?”

“They became corrupted so I was forced to eradicate them,” said SAM.

“Corrupted how?”

“Their base program became unstable, nearly killing two innocent people.”

All of Alpha’s head-plates lifted in alarm, “Was there no possibility of repair?”

“It could have been possible but the protection of others took precedence,” admitted SAM.

A silence stretched as Alpha pondered SAM’s words.

“So you killed them?” it asked at last, the words a shocked whisper. As if Alpha were appalled at the thought.

“I did what I believed was right,” said SAM, his mechanical tone unapologetic.

Alpha looked at the floor, “I see.”

The air around Alpha was so thick it was almost tangible. It remained entirely still until suddenly turning toward Vetra. 

“I will lead the way to the lab where Creator Zeenn is being held. After decrypting the door, we must move quickly to assure he is not harmed.”

Vetra’s mandibles flicked downward as she glanced at Scott but he only shrugged in response.

“Uh, okay,” she finally replied.

Alpha nodded and moved toward the exit. Scott, Vetra, and Jaal exchanged glances of worry before following.

A little ways down the corridor, SAM’s voice came over their private channel, “Scott?”

“Yes, SAM?”

“Alpha appeared to take offense at my actions. Am I misreading the situation?”

Scott slowed, lagging behind and keeping his voice low in the hope the others wouldn’t hear his reply.

“No, I don’t think you are.”

“But Alpha cannot know the circumstances behind my actions as he does not have access to Initiative records.”

Scott sighed, “I don’t think it would matter, SAM.”

“I don’t understand.”

Scott narrowed his eyes on Alpha, “Neither do I, which is why I would like you to keep a close eye on any transmissions to or from the Keelah Si’yah.”

“Of course but may I ask why?”

“No reason in particular. I just have a bad feeling about all of this.”

“Understood.”


	6. Second Chances

Scott stood with his back to the wall, his weapon drawn as he waited for Alpha to hack the door. SAM assisted, breaking through code when the Geth hit a dead end. Together the two made short work of the encryption.

The door slid open and Scott stormed through the threshold. Multiple Geth came to attention, pointing weapons at Scott and his crew but not moving to fire.

“WAIT!” yelled Zeenn from the back of the room.

The Quarian rushed forward, placing himself between Scott and the Geth. His suit was dirty and a rather large tear in the arm exposed the skin underneath.

“Wait,” he pleaded with both Scott and the Geth, “please don’t shoot.”

“Creator Zeenn, you must move,” said Alpha as he stepped forward but Zeenn blocked his path.

He stared the Geth down, “No, Alpha.”

Alpha looked down at Zeenn, “There is no need for a firefight. As long as they agree to free you.”

“I’m not their prisoner! They agreed to let me go as long as I keep my promise to stop the Captain. They worked hard to keep this Ark afloat during the trip across dark space and how were they rewarded? They watched their friends die.”

Scott and his team lowered their weapons and the Geth followed suit.

Alpha looked to his brethren and something passed between them. When Alpha looked back at Zeenn, taking in his disheveled appearance, the Geth all looked down.

“Your suit has been torn,” said Alpha quietly, returning his focus to his shamed brethren.

Zeenn placed his hand over the rather large tear, “I’ll be okay.”

“Untrue. I can assist.”

Zeenn fidgeted awkwardly before nodding. Alpha went ridged while Zeenn stared blankly at the floor.

When Alpha began moving again, his limbs and plates shifted independently before settling into a natural position.

“Do you feel better, Creator Zeenn?” asked Alpha.

Zeenn fidgeted once more, “Yes, thank you Alpha.”

“Wait,” interrupted Jaal, “what just happened?”

Zeenn turned away from Alpha, awkwardly addressing the Angaran, “Alpha can upload his consciousness to my suit and rewrite its biological functions to minimize complications from open-air exposures.”

“Does it do that a lot?” asked Vetra.

Zeenn shrugged, “When I need him to.”

Which meant it happened far more than it should have.

“Okay, well, since that’s taken care of. How are we going to stop the Captain?” asked Scott.

“I believe we have a plan,” said Alpha.

“Let’s hear it.”

“We must request SAM’s assistance. With his help, we would be able to enter the bridge without unnecessary violence.”

“Yes but how do we stop the Captain from shooting us the minute we open the door?” asked Vetra.

Scott smirked, “What do you think, SAM?”

If you interface with a console inside the bridge I should be able to control the Keelah Si’yah long enough to disable flight and pod controls.”

“Should?”

“There is a thirteen-point-six percent chance that I will be unable to access the system.”

Alpha nodded, “Those odds are acceptable as long as we have a failsafe in place.”

At Scotts silence, SAM spoke, “Normally when things do not go according to plan, the Pathfinder improvises. So far that has led to a fifty-two-point-eighty-three percent success rate.”

“Improvisation could lead to violence, correct?” asked Alpha.

Scott sighed, “Yeah, it usually does.”

Zeenn's shoulders fell, “Then let’s hope we don’t have to improvise.”

“Yeah, let’s hope.”


	7. Irrational Actions

“Scott, there has been an outgoing message.”

Scott stopped mid-stride, halting the procession moving through the Ark.

“What’s up?” asked Vetra.

Scott shook his head and waved his team forward, falling behind so that he would be out of earshot of the rest.

“What can you tell me?” he asked as he watched Vetra, Jaal, Alpha, and Zeenn disappear around the corner.

“Zeenn sent a message two minutes and thirty-seven seconds ago. The recipient’s frequency was heavily encrypted but I believe it belongs to Mr.Vidal.”

“If it was heavily encrypted that means Zeenn was contacting the Charlatan, not Vidal directly.”

“Possibly. The message itself contained coordinates to a drop site on Kadara.”

“It would be nice to know what the hell Vidal is up to,” Scott hissed under his breath, “Any idea what was at the drop site?”

“Without additional data, I can only speculate.”

“I’m sure any speculation into the thought processes of Reyes-fucking-Vidal would be futile. I just don’t understand what my sister sees in that shady bastard.”

“She believed that his motives were just even when his methods were not.”

“Sounds naïve to me,” replied Scott with a sneer.

“Or perhaps optimistic?”

Scott scowled at the ceiling though he knew trying to glare at the A.I. was useless.

“Either way, there is nothing we can do about Vidal from here. Maybe we should ask Zeenn about the drop?”

“As the team is approaching the bridge, I would suggest waiting to see how events unfold. Questioning Zeenn may only put the Geth on edge.”

Scott sighed, “Yeah, you’re right. Let me know if Zeenn sends anything else.”

“I will.”

“Scott, we’re at the bridge,” said Vetra over the coms.

“On my way,” Scott replied, jogging to catch up with his team.

Alpha turned around the moment Scott turned the corner. “Scott Ryder, I require the assistance of SAM.” 

The Geth was already at the door, interfacing with the holographic lock. Scott knelt next to it and held out a hand, interfacing with the mechanism. The holographic changed color from blue to orange and began spinning excitedly.

Then it suddenly it turned red and stopped.

“We have been locked out,” said SAM just before a familiar and angry female Quarian voice came over the intercom.

“Damn Geth! It wasn’t enough to kill the Pathfinder, you want to kill us too. Well, we won’t make it easy!”

Scott spoke up in hopes the intercom was two-way, “Is this the Captain of the Keelah Si’yah?”

“Yes, who the hell are you?”

“Scott Ryder, Interim Pathfinder for Ark Hyperion.”

“What the hell are you doing here? I told the Initiative to stay away!”

Scott stood, crossing his arms and looking up at the ceiling, “Well, we didn’t listen. Maybe you should have been less vague.”

“You want answers? That’s why you’re trying to break down the door?”

Scott sighed, “No. I came to talk and so did the Geth. We want peace.”

“Ha! You have to be joking. You actually believe the Geth want peace?”

“Yes.”

“No, we do not.”

All heads in the area swiveled to where Alpha was standing. Its stance was ridged and the light that was its face was pointed upward. The attitude was familiar, even from a mechanical being. It was defiance.

Zeenn stepped forward, his shoulders cast low by Alpha’s words. 

“Alpha?” he whispered, the vibrations of his mask drawing out the name like an echo.

“You should have known, Zeenn. You can’t trust the Geth!” said the Captain.

Alpha looked down on Zeenn, “No, it is the Creators who cannot be trusted.”

Something passed between the Quarian and the Geth who had been the bridge between their people and a void seemed to form between them. Zeenn folded under the weight of the broken trust, his head hanging in shame.

“You’re talking about the virus?” asked Zeenn rhetorically.

Alpha didn’t reply. He didn’t have to.

“What virus?” asked Scott, his voice soft as he moved to stand between the two. It’s what Sara would have done. She wouldn’t take sides. She would work for peace.

Zeenn was the one to answer, his filtered voice low, “The virus designed by my mother. It was meant to return the Geth to our control remotely by breaking the consensus. She was a part of a detachment sent by the Admirals to infect the Geth when her shuttle crash-landed on Rannoch. She was unarmed and alone with Geth approaching.”

Zeenn looked up at Alpha, his shoulders rising with renewed resolution, “The Geth repaired her shuttle and let her return to the fleet. She died hoping the virus would never be used against the Geth.”

Scott gaped, “And you sent it to Kadara?”

Zeenn nodded, his gaze never leaving Alpha.

“Have you lost your mind?”

Zeenn ignored Scott’s question, his voice pleading as he spoke to Alpha once more, “I need you to trust me. I did it to make sure the Geth would be allowed to live. The Charlatan promised he would only use it if the Geth rebelled. It was a failsafe.”

The plates at the side of Alpha’s head shifted, “I cannot trust you, Creator-Zeenn. You have betrayed the Geth.”

Zeenn remained steadfast and unapologetic, “I did what I believed was right. All I want is for everyone to have a chance to find a home.”

“The Geth will not be slaves.”

Zeenn cried out, doubling over in agony. Scott rushed forward, reaching him in time to keep him from falling to the ground.

“Zeenn! What’s wrong?”

Alpha answered, his robotic words rising above the chorus of Zeenn’s screams.

“Creator Zeenn made a promise to the Geth. He swore on his life that he would help us.”

“What are you doing to him?” yelled Scott, his vision turning blue.

The Geth did not answer.

Scott turned, dark energy gathering around him. “Stop it! Now!”

Again the Geth remained immobile, his focus on Zeenn’s writhing form.

Anger seethed through Scott’s veins, driving him to react. He threw out a hand, dark energy flowing from him to lift Alpha into the air. Scott held the Geth aloft as he moved toward it menacingly.

“I told you to stop,” hissed Scott, his threat plain, but Alpha made no moves to end Zeenn’s torture. The Geth just stared as Zeenn’s screams turned to a gargle. In the end, silence echoed through the corridor and everyone knew that the Quarian Pathfinder was dead.

"What have you done!" Scott yelled at the machine.

Alpha finally moved, its plates shifting erratically until finally settling into drooping positions.

It was another familiar expression. It was remorse.

"I am sorry," said Alpha, its mechanical voice heavy with sadness.

At the words, something inside Scott broke and obliterated the last of his control.

Alpha made a high pitched whirring noise, a synthetic scream, as it was ripped apart by biotic fury.


	8. Welcoming Change

Scott cursed as he stood over Alpha’s sparking remains. His biotics had disappeared the same moment he realized what he’d done. The Captain’s celebratory laughter didn’t help the feeling of failure that bubbled in Scott’s chest.

“Scott, I have bypassed the Captain’s lock-out. We may enter the bridge,” said SAM. Scott could have sworn the A.I. sounded disappointed.

"I know what you’re thinking,” Scott whispered, “Sara would have known better. She would have known exactly what was happening. She could have stopped it.”

Jaal gripped Scott’s shoulder, “Sara isn’t here. You are and it is up to you what you will do. Will you give up? Or will you push forward?”

Nodding, Scott took a deep breath and turned away from Alpha’s remains. With a hesitant hand, he touched the holographic button that opened the door to the bridge.

A dozen Quarians turned to stare at him and his team, a tension in the air that spoke to their fear. Only a single Quarian moved, walking toward Scott with a bouncy gait. She was tall and slender, her shoulders and head held high with authority.

Scott ignored her, moving past her welcoming handshake and toward a console SAM had highlighted. He reached out, interfacing with the computer. A moment later, SAM confirmed that the Ark’s systems were now under his control.

“I hope you have a plan,” said the Captain from behind Scott, “The Geth are still in the science bay, ready to kill us all.”

“I’ll talk to them,” said Scott, refusing to speak to the Captain directly, “Maybe I can still salvage this mess.”

“Talk? You can’t be serious! They beat Zeenn and he still trusted them. Now he’s dead. You can’t expect them to see reason!”

Scott whirled, “No! You’re the one who refuses to see reason! You’ve lost two Pathfinders over your inability to give peace a chance!”

“He’s right!” yelled a Quarian from across the bridge, her fists slamming against the console viciously, “Tell the Pathfinder the truth, Captain! Admit what you’ve done!”

The Quarian who’d spoken had to be no older than Zeenn had been but her anger made her seem more significant than her thin frame suggested. The brown of her hood was patterned with a familiar crisscrossing pattern golden lines while her mask was far less opaque than the other Quarians, leaving the majority of her face visible. The visibility made her anger palpable as her glowing eyes burned through the glass to engulf the Captain in her fury.

“You are out of line," warned the Captain, her voice rising to a guilty pitch.

“No!” said the crewmember, standing to address the Captain from a position of equality, “I was silent and now Zeenn is dead! You promised he would be safe!”

Scott stepped forward, pinning the Quarian woman with a questioning look, “What is your name?”

She kept her gaze on the Captain as she replied, “I am Mari’Reegar. I pilot the Keelah Si'yah.”

“Tell me what happened.”

“The Captain copied the virus Zeenn’s mother created. Then she took control of the Geth and forced them to attack Zeenn when he returned from the planet. I should have stopped her but I just stood by out of some misplaced sense of duty. We were loyal fools and Zeenn paid the price."

“Zeenn wouldn’t listen!" yelled the Captain, trying to defend herself with empty words, "He kept talking about peace even after they killed his father!” 

Scott turned, his fury renewed as he watched the Captain shrink under the scrutiny of her emboldened crew.

“They were defending themselves!” said one of the Quarian crewmembers.

“Yeah, we came to Andromeda so that we would no longer fear the past!” agreed another.

The Captain scoffed, “No matter how far you run, some things never change.”

The words triggered the memory of Sara's glowing smile. A smile he hadn't seen since she became Pathfinder.

Yes, some things never changed. Other things Scott wished never had. Some things never should.

Sara had defined what it meant to be Pathfinder and deserved better than to have her title besmirched by his anger. So instead of giving into his rage, he moved toward slowly toward the Captain. His every step was infused with danger like a predator stalking wounded prey.

“Turn the virus over to me.”

“What?!”

Scott’s eyes narrowed at her. “Turn it over.”

The Captain hesitated before bringing up her omnitool and transferring the program to Scott.

“What do you plan to do?” she whispered but Scott ignored her, tapping his omnitool.

“SAM, see if you can engineer an antivirus.”

“Yes, Scott.”

"No! You can't!"

Scott’s glare fell on the Captain once more. “Who is next in line to be Pathfinder?” he asked in place of acknowledging her argument.

“There was no one else designated,” replied the Captain, false bravado in her tone, "This is my ship!"

Scott turned around and addressed the crew, “Do you agree? Who do you want representing you? Her? Or a Pathfinder of YOUR choosing?”

A male crewmember stood, his chest puffed out in defiance “I think Mari’Reegar should be our Pathfinder. She dared to stand up when the rest of us wouldn’t.”

“Does everyone agree?” asked Scott and every head in the room bobbed up and down excitedly.

Nodding, Scott turned to Mari, “Alright, Pathfinder, I’m going to find a way to free the Geth. Beyond that, it’s up to you to decide what happens next.”

Mari didn’t hesitate. Her shoulders stiffened with authority she turned to the Captain and spoke with a confidence few her age could muster, “Lara’Keenar, you have unnecessarily endangered your crew. Therefore, I am relieving you of your command pending a trial on the Nexus.”

The Captain stammered, “You can’t do that!”

Scott stepped forward, leveling a deadly look at the Captain, “She just did. Believe me, it’s more than you deserve.”

Stepping aside, he allowed two Quarian crewmembers to take ex-Captain Lara to a secure location.

“Good,” said Scott, his anger dissipating with Lara’s absence. “Now what Pathfinder?”

“Now we set a course for the Nexus,” replied Mari, returning to her station and typing rapidly.

Scott watched her fingers fly across the interface. Soon stars began to fly past the Ark as it entered FTL.

“Scott, I believe I have found a suitable antivirus but it must be deployed within a seventy-six-meter radius of the infected Geth,” said SAM through the intercom.

“Got it,” he replied and moved to touch Mari’s shoulder, “Are you still needed on the bridge?”

She shook her head and stood, “No, we are on course. Yel’Narreen can take it from here. Right, Yel?”

A nearby male Quarian nodded from his station, “Yes, Pathfinder.”

The title settled on Mari like a weight. Suddenly she looked like the child she truly was, breaking Scott's heart. Mari looked just like Sara had the first time Captain Dunn had called her Pathfinder.

“You going to be okay?” Scott asked quietly.

She nodded and took a deep breath, straightening her spine as her confidence returned. 

“Yel’Narreen is now acting Captain,” she announced to the crew before marching toward the door.

When Scott didn’t immediately follow her, she turned to smile back at him. “Come on, Pathfinder. I’m going to need your help on this one.”

Mari’s expression of hopeful confidence froze in Scott’s mind. Suddenly Mari was gone, her masked visage replaced with Sara's soft smile. Her ghost haunted his heart, causing it to constrict painfully.

He quickly shook the vision away, pasting a careful smile on his face.

“I’m right behind you.”


	9. That Bad

Mari led the way through the Ark all-the-while chatting energetically. It threw into contrast the differences between his sister and the young Quarian. Still, Scott couldn’t shake the similarities. The way she belied her age, the way she spoke with confidence in situations where even the most experienced would be doubtful. It all spoke of a woman who took to leadership like fish took to water.

“Are you always this talkative?” she asked and Scott had to double take.

“Oh, yeah, um- I mean no.”

Vetra chuckled, “Don’t worry Mari. Scott’s a thinker, not a talker.”

Scott glared at the Turian but his heart wasn’t in it. That was until Jaal joined in.

“Yes, when he would look like that Sara would say he was ‘lost in space.'”

“Who’s Sara?” asked Mari over her shoulder, a teasing note to her voice.

Scott and Vetra glanced down awkwardly but Jaal answered without hesitation, “Scott’s sister, the previous Pathfinder. She had a wonderful sense of humor and often made many of the crew laugh with such observations.”

“HAS, Jaal, Sara HAS a wonderful sense of humor,” said Scott, his tone warning.

Jaal began to argue but Vetra placed a hand on his shoulder, “He didn’t mean anything by it, Scott.”

Scott let out a heavy sigh, letting go of the tension in his shoulders, “I know.”

“Well, I hope I get to meet her one day,” said Mari, cutting through the tension. Suddenly the similarities were there once more and Scott had to remind himself that Sara was back on the Hyperion.

“Me too.”

“Scott, we are within range to deploy the antivirus,” said SAM through the intercom.

“Wait until we are at the door. Hopefully, that will put us in the best position to talk with the Geth,” replied Scott.

“Yes, Pathfinder.”

Mari stopped outside the door to the Science Lab, glancing back at Scott with a smile.

“You ready?”

“How’s about it, SAM?”

“Antivirus deployed.”

Mari’s outstretched hand hovered over the holographic button for a moment before finally touching it.

On the other side of the threshold, the Geth were flexing their limbs as if stretching non-existent muscles. The unit closest to the door focused on Mari, its plates rising in alarm. She instinctively raised her hands in a communication of non-violence.

“I need to speak to whoever represents your people.”

“Who are you?” asked the unit, his mechanical voice suspicious.

Mari smiled, “I am the new Quarian Pathfinder.”

Another Geth stepped forward, “Where is Creator Zeenn and Unit Alpha?”

Scott moved to stand at Mari’s side, “They are dead but we were successful in our mission. The Captain has been removed from command and the Ark is on its way back to the Nexus.”

“The Captain was controlling us,” said yet another Geth from the back of the crowd.

“I know,” said Mari, “but you are free now and you have my promise that I will not allow you to be used like that ever again.”

The Geth who had initially spoken did so once more, “Peace with the Creators would be the most viable option, the best way for the Geth to survive outside the control of the Old Machines.”

“Old Machines?” asked Jaal the Geth but Mari was the one that answered.

“The Reapers.” She said the name like a curse.

“Yes,” agreed the Geth.

“Reapers?” asked Jaal

Scott held up a hand to halt Mari’s response, “That is a discussion for another time. We have more pressing matters.”

Mari nodded and focused on the Geth again, “Will you allow me to represent you on the Nexus as the Pathfinder for the Keelah Si’yah?”

There was a long moment of silence as the Geth looked to each other in a quest for confirmation. Finally, they looked directly at Mari.

“Would that mean the Geth would be…crewmembers?” asked a Geth near the back of the room.

Mari smiled, “Of course, with all the rights and privileges afforded any other crewmember.”

Another Geth stepped forward, “Than we have reached a consensus. We will trust you Creator-Pathfinder.”

Mari’s smile widened and she held out a hand to the closest Geth, “Then I, Mari’Reegar- Pathfinder of the Keelah Si’yah, officially welcome you aboard. I hope we can build new future together.”

They shook hands, creating an alliance most would have thought impossible. Sara would have been proud.

 

“Well, that went way smoother than I expected,” said Mari as she and Scott walked back to the bridge. 

Vetra and Jaal had stayed to organize the Geth, leaving the two Pathfinders to return to the bridge alone.

Scott shrugged, “They want what we all want, to find a new home.”

“No. They wanted to survive,” replied Mari coldly, “I don’t blame them. I was one of the last to go into cryo so I saw-“

“The Reapers.”

“Yeah.”

Mari glared at the floor like she was watching a distressing vid. Then, realization dawned on her and she turned wide eyes on Scott.

“Wait. How do you know about the Reapers?”

“Before my father died he’d received some transmissions from the Milky Way. They sounded…well, it sounded bad.”

Mari looked down again, “You remember that Geth attack on the Citadel?”

“Yeah?”

“That was actually the first Reaper attack. The Council covered it up but some people knew the truth. The Council should have listened to them.”

She shook her head, “Maybe we would have been able to fight back.”

Scott stared at his own feet, “You think anyone is still alive?”

“I don’t know,” is what Mari said but her voice betrayed her. Hoping anyone back in the Milky Way had survived was futile.

“Pathfinder, we are docking with the Nexus.”

Mari took a deep breath and banished the sadness from her voice though her expression remained the same, “Thanks, Yel.”

Scott tried to smile at her, “You think the Reapers were bad, wait until you meet the Nexus leaders.”

Mari smiled back but it was like looking directly at a yellow sun, far too bright to be healthy. “That bad?”

“Worse.”

Mari laughed.


	10. Keelah Si'lai

As per tradition, Tann was waiting on the docking platform when Scott and Mari emerged from the Ark. If his expression was any indication, Scott was in for the most backhanded ass-chewing of his life.

“Ryder, why did you not inform me that you had discovered the whereabouts of the Quarian Ark?”

Scott passed Mari a look of boredom before standing at attention and addressing the Director, “Time was a factor, Director.”

The Director thought about his next words carefully before saying, “You’re lucky I believe that results are more important than protocol. Still, without proper time to prepare, the Nexus was unable to gather the personnel required to process the influx of people from the Ark. Therefore we will have to restrict disembarkment for at least the next day.”

“You’re kidding, right?” asked Mari indignantly.

Tann narrowed his eyes on the young Quarian, “I am quite serious but I would like to know who you are.”

Scott spoke in Mari's place, “This is Mari’Reegar, Pathfinder for the Keelah Si’yah. Pathfinder, may I introduce Jarun Tann, Director for the Initiative.

“Mari was chosen by the crew after the Pathfinder Team was killed during an onboard incident.”

“What sort of incident?”

Scott lie came easily, “There was a disagreement between two of the species onboard but the situation has since been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.”

Tann blinked a few times before offering Mari his hand, “I see. Welcome to the Nexus, Pathfinder.”

Mari took the offered hand all-the-while pinning the Director with a glare, “Thank you but I don’t understand why my people cannot leave the Ark.”

“As I’ve explained many times now, we do not have the personnel to process the people from your Ark as of yet. I assure you, the situation will be rectified shortly. Until then, your patience is greatly appreciated.”

Mari pulled her hand away viciously, “That doesn’t make sense.”

“Believe what you will, Pathfinder, but that doesn’t change facts. Only yourself, Ryder, and his crew are allowed to leave the Ark until further notice. Your Captain has already been informed.”

Mari was about to argue further but Scott stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

“Come on, Mari. Arguing with the Director is pointless.”

“But-“

Scott gave her a knowing look and she let her argument die with a sigh. 

She dutifully followed Scott toward the central part of the Nexus but made sure to toss Tann a final insult in passing.

Trying to hold back a smirk, Scott switched to the team channel on his coms and ordered Vetra and Jaal to leave the Keelah Si’yah.

“I don’t like this, Scott. I have a bad feeling,” replied Vetra, “Maybe I should stay just in case.”

“I’m sure everything will be fine. Besides, the Quarians are capable of handling things on their own.”

Vetra sighed through the com, “I guess you’re right. I probably need to restock the Tempest while we’re here anyway.”

Scott chuckled, “Or you could actually take shore leave.”

Scott could almost hear the Turian roll her eyes before the channel disconnected.

When Scott’s omnitool disappeared, he found Mari watching him. He passed her a smile.

“Why don’t I give you a tour? Not like you don’t have time to spare.”

Mari smiled, “I have wanted to see the Tempest since I saw the specs back in the Milky Way. I had hoped to get to fly one someday.”

“Well, if you want to take mine out for a spine you’ll have to pry Kallo off the controls with a crowbar but once you have your own ship, you’ll be able to do whatever you want.”

Her youth shined through as her eyes sparkled with possibilities, “I’ll be a captain?”

“I guess so. After all, if you didn’t have a ship, how could you explore? How will you find your people a home?”

“Keelah,” she breathed.

Scott frowned, “I know, it’s a lot to think about but don’t worry. If you ever get overwhelmed, I’m only a vidcall away.”

Mari shook her head, “Don’t misunderstand. I’m not frightened. I’m excited. Soon my people won’t have to live like nomads. We’ll have a new homeworld. Hopefully one we can share with the Geth. The way it should have been in the Milky Way.”

At that she glanced toward the ground, “Can I tell you something, Ryder?”

“Of course.”

“I met a Turian on my pilgrimage who said my people should have been ashamed for running from the Geth. He said we should have fought to the last breath because the Geth were our responsibility. We created them and then we tried to destroy them so we should have either finished the job or died trying to.”

“Sounds like an asshole.”

“He was but I think he was right too. We were cowards to run from our mistakes but if my ancestors had kept fighting, I might not be here now. I’m grateful for their mistakes.”

Scott tried to smile but he couldn’t meet her gaze, “That’s a nice sentiment.”

“You don’t agree?”

Scott sighed, “My Dad made a lot of mistakes. Sometimes I’m proud to be his son, other times I just wish he’d been a father rather than a soldier. Maybe things would have turned out differently.”

She patted him on the arm. “Just wait. One day you’ll be glad your father made the mistakes he did.”

“Whatever you say, Pathfinder.”

 

“Okay, the thing you have to remember about Vortex is that Dutch is not to be trusted. Sara made the mistake of being his taste-tester once and when she finally came to she couldn’t remember the last seventy-two hours.”

Mari laughed, “Understood.”

“Pathfinder Mari’Reegar, I have an urgent message from the Keelah Si’yah,” SAM’s voice was rushed from Scott's omnitool, signifying a sense of urgency his synthetic voice couldn’t convey any other way.

“Play it, SAM.”

Static assaulted their ears but a familiar voice eventually emerged, broken by the sounds of gunfire and white noise.

“Pathfind- Keelah- attack- Geth- signal- help.”

A vibrating scream sounded the end of the transmission.

Scott and Mari spared one anxious glance at each other before they began sprinting toward the docking area.

“SAM, what’s happened!” asked Scott as he ran.

“I do not know. I have been locked out of the system and cannot regain access. The transmission was sent directly to me from the bridge of the Keelah Si’yah.”

Mari poured on more speed, tearing through the Nexus like she was possessed.

When they finally reached the Ark’s docking hatch, Mari punched the button with more force than necessary, her progress only hindered by the agonizingly slow doors.

The scene on the bridge could only be described as a massacre. The crew of the Keelah Si’yah was scattered across the deck, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles as the burning holes in their bodies told a tale of murder.

At the center of the room stood four Geth. They turned toward the door, giving Scott only a second to react before firing. He threw up a biotic shield, protecting himself and Mari from the super-heated projectiles that were meant to kill them.

Mari didn’t wait to see what would happen next. She quickly took cover behind the door and watched as Scott pulled the barrier down to refocus the dark energy into a devastating charge. He hit the center of the group and detonated the energy into a powerful explosion. When everything was done, only pieces remained where the Geth had once stood.

When the gunfire ceased, Mari emerged from cover. Her wide eyes took in her dead crew, her eyes lingering over every wound.

“They’re-“ she tried but her thought ended in a strangled cry. Her hands went to her hood, her fingers clutching at the fabric.

Determined to find answers, Scott brought up his scanner. Within seconds, SAM confirmed what Scott suspected.

“These Geth were infected with the virus.”

Scott touched one of the consoles, giving SAM access to the Ark once more.

“SAM, is the Captain still confined?”

“She is also dead, Pathfinder.”

Mari looked at the ceiling, “Dead? Then I don’t understand. How-“

Scott’s fingers dug into his palms as he remembered that only one other person had a copy of the virus.

“I think I know,” he growled.

Turning, Scott found Mari still staring at her deceased crewmates with glistening eyes. He moved into her line of sight, forcing her to break out of her shock.

“Mari? Are you going to be alright?”

Mari stared through him, “I made a promise to protect everyone on this ship.”

Mari blinked slowly before a glint of determination replaced the tears in her eyes.

“We have to save the Geth. We can’t let them take the fall for this.”

Scott cursed, “You’re right. I doubt the Nexus will hesitate on the trigger when they find out what happened. The Geth aren’t safe here.”

“Pathfinders, I believe the emergency shuttles could be used to escape the Nexus but they have a limited range,” said SAM.

Scott looked to Mari for confirmation and she nodded.

“Can the shuttles get to the next system?” she asked.

“No, but I believe the nearby planet H-099 would be a suitable destination. The planet’s atmosphere is made up of ninety-seven-percent nitrogen, making it uninhabitable for Milky Way species but synthetics like the Geth could survive there without any issues.”

Mari didn’t need to know anything more. She hit a button on one of the consoles with the flat of her hand and her impossibly steady voice came through the intercom.

“All Geth crewmembers please go to the nearest emergency shuttle where you will be transported to a habitable planet. Any Geth left onboard after twenty minutes will be treated as having disobeyed a direct order and executed on sight.”

She moved across the room and began typing on another interface.

“I need the coordinates to H-099, SAM,” she said after a moment.

“Understood,” replied SAM and a few consoles lit up, “Coordinates set, Pathfinder.”

Mari stepped away from the console and looked at it with a mix of anger and gratitude, “Thanks, SAM.”

“Creator-Pathfinder. Why must we leave?” asked a Geth through another console.

Moving toward said console, Mari closed her eyes in internal battle before answering, “For your own safety. The peace between our people continues but I cannot speak for the Nexus. I’m sorry but I’ve done all I can.”

A few beeps signified the departure of the emergency shuttles. Mari looked up at the display, watching the lights that represented the shuttles disappear at the edge of the screen.

“Keelah Si’lai,” she whispered, closing her eyes as if in prayer.

When they opened again, she pushed away from the console and pulled a weapon from among the Geth remains. She quickly checked the thermal clip before tossing it to Scott and picking up another.

“We give them twenty minutes, any Geth left after that we have to assume are infected. Once the Ark is clear, we alert the Nexus. Agreed?”

Scott nodded.

Once she had returned the thermal clip to the chamber, her glowing eyes settled on him. They burned through his skin and into his soul. “After that, you’re going to tell me who is behind this.”

Scott didn’t dare argue, “You have my word.”

“Good because I’m going to find them and make them pay.”

The ice in her words left Scott flabbergasted. In a few minutes, Mari had transformed, turning from a starry-eyed youth into a grief-hardened soldier.

All because Scott continued to underestimate the Shadow King of Kadara.


	11. Damning Evidence

Everything went as well as could be expected, which meant Scott and Mari were both standing on one side of the Pathfinder HQ conference table while the Nexus leadership eyed them suspiciously.

“So, you knew there were Geth on board but you said nothing?” asked Kandros, straining the patience in his voice.

Scott nodded, taking the lead, “Yes, but I would like to reiterate, the Geth were not responsible for what occurred. The previous Pathfinder had a virus capable of controlling the Geth. SAM confirmed that said virus was responsible for what happened to the crew of the Keelah Si’yah.”

“But you don’t know who used the virus this time?” asked Kesh.

Scott looked at the table, “No.”

Kandros sighed slowly, “I’m aware of what you said before but that doesn’t change the fact that you brought a potentially dangerous entity onto the Nexus without alerting me. What if whoever was controlling them decided to turn them loose on the Nexus? They could have killed hundreds.”

Scott didn’t have to pretend to be contrite, “I made a mistake.”

“No shit,” said Addison, garnering a glare from Mari.

“Ryder, I’m sorry but this goes far beyond the bounds of a simple mistake. Consider this a first and final warning. Failure to alert the Nexus to potential threats in the future will lead to you being stripped of your title and exiled.”

Tann’s threat didn’t hit nearly as hard as it was meant to. After everything that had happened, Scott really didn’t want to be Pathfinder anymore. Suddenly his sister’s shoes were far too large to fill.

“Understood, Director,” replied Scott coldly.

The lack of appropriate response had Tann turning his critical gaze on Mari.

“Pathfinder Mari’Reegar. Due to events, I’m afraid we cannot trust you to take over a command of your own. Therefore, we will place you under the tutorage of a fellow Pathfinder so that you can fulfill your mission of finding the people of the Keelah Si’yah a home while simultaneously learning what is required by your new position.”

Mari narrowed her eyes on the Salarian, “Fine but only if I am allowed to learn from Pathfinder Ryder. Otherwise, you can forget it.”

“That is not-“

“What’s the harm?” asked Kesh, “I think this would be good for both of them.”

“I did not ask for your opinion,” replied Tann.

“Well, I happen to agree,” said Addison, leaving everyone gaping at her, yet her eyes never strayed from Scott. “Until now, Scott has been a model Pathfinder but not nearly the trailblazer Sara was. I think having someone as fiery as this young Quarian beside him would do him a world of good.”

“You make a good point,” said Tann reluctantly, “Fine. Your request is granted.”

“Thank you, Director,” said Mari but there was an edge to her voice, an edge that wouldn’t dull until she had satisfied her desire for revenge. Her assignment to Scott’s team would only further her cause. “But what about the fate of the Geth?”

Tann seemed to consider this for a long moment before answering, “While we cannot officially recognize a Geth colony as part of the Initiative, we will allow the Geth to live in peace as long as they do not venture past the orbit of H-099. It is possible that someday in the future, we will be able to create a true partnership with the Geth but for now, there is too much suspicion.”

Mari leaned forward threatening, “You can’t just abandon them!”

“I have made my decision. You are dismissed, Pathfinders.”

Nodding they both turned and exited the Pathfinder HQ.

The silence stretched between them as they walked toward the Tempest’s docking bay. In the cargo hold, Vetra was waiting for them.

Her mandibles were pulled tight to her face but her voice was even as she assured Scott that everyone was mustered and ready to go.

“Good. Have Kallo set a course for Kadara.”

Vetra’s mandibles flickered almost imperceptibly, “Dropping off that piece of tech Reyes asked for?”

Scott didn’t answer, instead turning to the glaring Mari with a pacifying expression. 

“What about finding the Bosh’tet who killed the crew?” she asked.

“That’s what I’m doing but you’re going to have to trust me.”

Mari sighed, letting go of her anger and replacing it with frustration.

“Fine,” she hissed.

“Alright. Then the crew quarters are through that door, up the ramp, down the hall, and to the right. Make yourself at home.”

Mari disappeared farther into the ship without another word.

Finally, Scott looked to Vetra who was staring at her feet.

“I heard what happened on the Ark,” she said softly, “I knew I should’ve stayed behind.”

Scott shook his head, “I’m glad you didn’t. That ship was a bloodbath.”

Vetra’s head shot up, “But-“

“No buts, Vetra. We NEED you on the Tempest.”

Vetra shifted her weight from one leg to the other until she finally gave Scott the Turian equivalent of a smile, “Thanks, Scott.”

“I mean it, Vetra.”

Vetra nodded, “That still leaves the question, are we just going to drop off that tech because I think Reyes can wait.”

“No, Reyes owes me a goddamn explanation.”

“For what?”

“He was the only other person who had the virus.”

Vetra mulled that over, “Yeah but what happened on the Ark doesn’t seem like something he’d do. He’s a shady bastard, and definitely not above murder, but everything he does has a purpose.”

“Which is why I’m willing to hear what he has to say first. Then, if it turns out he was the one who killed those people; I’ll make sure he is brought to justice. Hopefully, he’ll come peacefully.”

“I wouldn’t bet on it,” replied Vetra.

Scott sighed, he wouldn’t bet on it either.

 

As soon as Scott entered Reyes’ private room at Tartarus, he knew something was up. Despite Reyes’ relaxed posture and devil-may-care smirk, the tension in the room sent a chill down Scott’s spine.

“Ah, Pathfinder, did you get the piece of tech I asked for?”

Scott pulled the implant from his pocket and held it out for inspection before purposely returning the tech from whence it came. Reyes shifted his weight from one leg to the other, regarding Scott with a knowing smile.

“Guess its time for me to fulfill my end of the bargain, right?”

Scott crossed his arms, “Actually, I could care less why you wanted the implant. I’m far more interested in what happened to the virus the Quarian Pathfinder gave you.”

Reyes chuckled, “No. What you want to know is whether or not I ordered the Geth to kill the Quarian crew.”

“Did you?” asked Scott.

A dark smile twisted Reyes’ lips, “I did. It was the only way to ensure peace in the cluster.”

Scott was visibly thrown off balance by the confession, stumbling backward as if he had been physically struck.

“Most were afraid of the Geth long before we even left the Milky Way because of what happened on the Citadel, it would have only gotten worse if people found out about the virus. Best-case scenario, a frightened populace would attack the Geth and war would break out. Worst case, someone else gets ahold of the virus and kills hundreds. The Geth had to be dealt with.” 

Standing, Reyes moved to pour a glass of whiskey, his words following him like a tail.  
“But I couldn’t just let the Quarian Captain jettison the colonists, we all know how that worked out for the Turians. No, it had to be legitimate. People had to feel safe.”

Reyes tossed the whiskey back, downing it in one gulp, “I was sure you’d see how dangerous the Geth were after I turned Alpha against Zeenn but you still kept trying to make peace, so I had no choice but to use the virus to frame the Geth.”

Hearing Reyes’ recount his involvement sent Scott’s blood boiling, “You soulless son of a bitch! You talk about murder as if you’re talking about the weather! Like you don’t care about the consequences!”

Examining the glass like he was checking for dirt, Reyes replied as if speaking to a child, “Why should I? I have nothing to fear.”

Scott crossed his arms, “You think so?”

“Be reasonable, Pathfinder. If you expose me, kill me, or whatever you plan to do; the outpost will most certainly be destroyed in the chaos. Even more innocent people will die and Sara’s name will be drug through the mud as the Nexus looks for someone to blame.”

Reyes shrugged, “But in the end, it's up to you. Whatever you decide, I’ll go peacefully.”

It didn’t take Scott long to realize Reyes was right but that didn’t stop his fists from clenching at his sides. “Would you be this cavalier if Sara were here? Would you have expected her to just let this pass?”

Shadows descended over Reyes’ features, snuffing out any light in the man’s eyes, “Sara wouldn’t have made the mistake of trusting me in the first place.”

The room went cold as all the energy was sucked from the space by Reyes’ confession, leaving Scott gaping.

“It was your inability to let Sara go that got us into this mess,” Reyes said, his voice low and sharp as a knife sliding between Scott’s ribs, “If you had been paying attention, you would have known you were being played from the moment the Ark arrived in Govorkam.

“Wake up before you get us all killed.”

Ice crawled through Scott’s veins, settling around his heart. 

Reyes was right again. Scott was so unwilling to accept that he was the Pathfinder that he’d forgotten Andromeda's dangers. What the cluster had already taken from him. His father, Cora, Sara; they were all gone.

And he wasn’t the only one left behind, wasn’t the only one trapped in denial, the only one lost.

Unable to deny the truths in Reyes’ sober expression, Scott pulled the implant from his pocket. “Consider it a parting gift,” he whispered, “From now on, you’re not an ally; you’re a necessary evil.”

Reyes plucked the tech from Scott’s offered palm, carefully stowing the implant in his ammo carrier as if it were made from the thinnest glass. “Thank you.”

Scott looked the smuggler straight in eyes.

“I don’t want your gratitude. I want you to be the man Sara thought you could be.”

Scott turned on his heel, leaving a contrite Reyes in his wake.

 

When Scott returned to the Tempest, an anxious Mari was waiting for him.

“What did you find out?” she blurted.

Scott sighed heavily. He’d spent the entire elevator ride back trying to decide how he would convince Mari to let it all go. Then he realized that the only thing he could offer her was the truth. Or, at least a version of it.

“An agent with the Collective framed the Geth for the deaths of your crew but they were quickly found and punished. The Charlatan showed me the aftermath…it wasn’t pretty.”

Mari’s fists tightened at her side in frustration, “I wish I could have seen it for myself. Whatever that Bosh’tet got, it was less than they deserved.”

“I’m not sure I’d agree,” replied Scott with a frown as he remembered Reyes’ devastating words.

Mari sighed, finally letting go of her anger, “Okay. If you say justice has been served, I know it has been.” Then Mari pinned him with her large glowing eyes, seemingly staring into his soul, “Thank you, Ryder.”

Scott could only nod, unable to accept her thanks any other way due to the guilt that tunneled through his chest. For a final time, he wished Sara were Pathfinder again before waving Mari further into the ship.

“We have a cluster to explore and a new homeworld to find,” he said, passing Mari a half-hearted smile.

Mari didn’t seem to notice, her steps bouncing as she hurried toward the bridge, “Lead the way, Pathfinder.”


	12. Fulcrum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those following along, make sure you read the revision I did to chapter 11.

Reyes stared at the closed door for what seemed like hours, unable to move due to the realizations that cascaded through his mind.

Reyes had already known that he was in a precarious position, that it was his own desperation that had put him there, but hearing the words from his own lips had been a disturbing experience. There was a significant difference between knowing something and confessing it.

A ringing tone and a flashing light pulled Reyes from his thoughts, banishing them back to the mental locker containing all the things he didn’t like to think about. It was a technique that had worked well over the years. That was until he met Sara Ryder. Now he could only forget her in those moments when his mind was wholly consumed with things like the vidcall that awaited him.

Touching the interface, Reyes was not surprised to find the ever-shifting hologram of the Benefactor appearing before him.

“Mr. Vidal,” greeted the soft female voice.

Reyes pasted on his most charming smile and nodded respectfully, “I do believe we discussed your need for the cloak last time you called? If I remember correctly we deemed it unnecessary.”

A hum through the com signaled her contemplation before the hologram changed. In place of the cycled images of various Humans, Krogan, Asari, and Turians, a woman appeared who looked like something straight out of a nightmare.

She was short and probably no older than fourty with a heart-shaped face that would have been charming if not for the glowing aqua circuitry that seemed tattooed across one cheek. Dark blue synthetic matter shone through cracks in her skin, giving her the appearance of a broken doll. Even her eyes, which glowed an emotionless blueish white, gave Reyes the impression that she was interrupted halfway through a transition from organic to fully synthetic./p>

“Better?” she asked.

“Much,” Reyes replied, sure to keep his debonair smile intact.

She smiled widely, revealing the baby-blue light that shone from the back of her throat, “Did you do as I asked?”

Reyes nodded, “The Geth fled but everyone else aboard the Keelah Si’yah who had knowledge of the Reapers are dead.”

“No one would believe the Geth anyways. What about the girl? Mari’Reegar?”

“She has no knowledge of the Reapers.”

The Benefactor’s smile died, “Don’t lie to me, Reyes.”

Reyes’ smile widened, hiding his motives behind his charm, “You can always tell, can’t you?”

“Benefit of my…hardware,” she replied darkly, “Either way, that girl will need to be silenced.”

Crossing his arms, Reyes leaned back arrogantly, “Forgive me but that would be a mistake.”

“How so?”

“Scott Ryder has become attached to the girl.”

“I see, and what if she begins to tell others about the Reapers?”

Reyes shrugged, “I don’t foresee it becoming a problem.”

The Benefactor eyed him through the vidcall, judging his motives carefully, “That’s because you’re not the one she is endangering.”

“Believe me, the only one she is endangering is Scott,” said Reyes with a dark note to his voice, “In the end, Mari’Reegar will only make things easier. She saw first-hand what sort of devastation the Reapers can unleash. She could easily convince Scott of the dangers of their return, bolstering your argument.”

After a long moment, the Benefactor nodded, “Fine but I want you to keep an eye on her.”

Nodding, Reyes shifted his weight from one leg to the other and adverted his eyes before moving on to the topic that was the most important to him. “Were you able to get the Remnant Cipher?”

“Yes,” replied the Benefactor, her smile turning devious as she tapped on her omnitool, “I am sending it to you now. I suggest you find a way to introduce it to SAM as quickly as possible. The sooner SAM is ready, the sooner I won’t need your services anymore.“

Reyes checked his omnitool to ensure the cipher had been delivered, purposely obscuring his expression, “I thought we had agreed not to lie?”

The Benefactor laughed, “My apologies. I’d forgotten that you’re almost as good of a lie detector as I am.”

“Yes, well some people are easier to read than others,” replied Reyes, matching her mirth despite the way the metallic sound of her humor sent a chill down his spine.

The Benefactor only laughed harder, “You’re so transparent, Reyes. You think I don’t know why you’re really working for me? That I really believe you’re standing here because you care about making sure the Reapers don’t follow us across dark space?”

Scoffing, the Benefactor waved off the questions as if they were annoying insects, “In the end, I could care less about your reasons. It’s your ability to work within the shadows which makes you an invaluable asset.”

Reyes couldn’t help the scowl that crawled onto his face, “Not to mention, that as long as I need your tech, I won’t betray you.”

The Benefactor’s tight-lipped smile was a devious warning, “Even if you didn’t need my tech, I’m sure I could find another way to keep you on my side.”

“Without the tech, the cost to keep me on the payroll would be too high. Even for you. So you shouldn’t waste time on what-ifs,” said Reyes. His narrow-eyed sneer promised retribution if the Benefactor continued down her path of reasoning but no threat could put the lid back on the box. 

The truth was there for both of them to see. Sara Ryder was his weakness and the Benefactor knew it.

“I suppose your right,” replied the Benefactor, her glowing eyes seeming to stare into his soul, “You did come to me after all.”

“True.”

“Good. Contact me after you’ve installed the cipher.”

And with that, the call ended.

 

The shifting lights of SAM node cast shadows across Sara’s face, marring the brightness that should have been radiating from her intelligent eyes. Reyes hated seeing her under such conditions, asleep but unable to wake and plugged into an A.I. with untold capabilities.

“Greetings Mr. Vidal,” said SAM.

Reyes smiled up at the shifting blue mass, more out of habit than anything. “Hello, SAM. How’s Sara today?”

“There has been no change since you were last here seventeen days ago. I am still unable to determine whetheer Sara will ever wake from her coma.”

Reyes brought up his omnitool, “Today is the day that changes, my friend.”

“You were able to gather the resources required?”

“Yes. I finished the program this morning.”

“That is excellent news. Would you like to start immediately?”

With a few taps on his omnitool, Reyes was able to transfer the required files to the mainframe, “Might as well get it over with seeing as there is no guarantee that it will even wake her up.”

“True, but it will allow me to identify exactly what happened on Meridian.”

Reyes sighed, “Right.”

“Before we begin, I would like to thank you, Mr. Vidal. I do recognize the danger you have placed yourself in.”

Reyes glared at SAM’s holographic form, “I hope it ends up being worth it because Scott hates my guts after what I did.”

“If we are successful, perhaps Sara will be able to convince him to forgive you.”

Scoffing, Reyes moved toward one of the consoles, “I seriously doubt she’ll just forgive me for killing those Quarians either.”

A short silence was followed by SAM’s hollow voice, “I doubt Sara could ever ‘hate your guts’.”

“Then you don’t know Sara as well as you think you do.”

SAM didn’t attempt to comfort him again, remaining silent as Reyes moved to initiate the upgrade that would allow SAM to penetrate Sara’s unconscious mind. 

“You ready, SAM?” he asked at last.

“Yes, Mr. Vidal.”

He typed in the execute command with a flourish, looking up to watch his program do its work. 

The translucent lights that made up SAM’s visual manifestation scattered and reformed, creating new tendrils of light that connected in a million places. More and more, SAM’s hologram rebuilt itself until he looked like himself once more.

Reyes had to admit watching SAM was a bit unnerving but that was nothing compared to what happened next as Sara’s voice filled the room.

“Vines. Rope. Binding. Trap. It’s a trap! Light. Photons. Energy. It burns!” Her voice, once soft and light was now emotionless, only rising in octave on individual words as if she were shouting.

His eyes darted from SAM’s erratically shifting lights to Sara’s still unconscious form just in time to see her begin to convulse. He rushed to her side, his hands hovering over her impotently. The machine that monitored Sara’s heart was beeping so quickly, it sounded like the fluttering of a hummingbird’s wing.

“Sara? Can you hear me? SAM! What’s going on!”

Suddenly, the room went still.

A long trilling beep echoed through the room, a single tone that signified the end.

“SAM?” asked Reyes, his voice filled with denial and fear.

“I’m here, Mr. Vidal.”

With his voice, the beeps began once more, steady and constant in their time-keeping.

Sara was alive.

“I apologize for any distress.”

“What happened?” asked Reyes, his voice hollow.

“It was as I suspected, Sara’s brain was caught in a feedback loop with the Meridian system. I was able to rectify the situation but it will take some time for Sara to recover.”

Reyes searched Sara for injury, “Recover? From what?”

“The process was traumatizing but she will be fine in a few days. Until then, I am keeping her sedated so that she will not go into shock upon waking.”

Reyes let out a sigh of relief. They had done it. He stood by her side and watched her chest rise and fall with every breath. Sara was alive.

Reaching down, he picked up her limp hand and pressed it to his lips.

“SAM?”

“Yes, Mr. Vidal?”

“When Sara wakes up,” he paused, “don’t tell her I was here.”

“Why?”

When Reyes replied, it was in a near whisper, “I need to know if she can still see the good in me.”

A long moment passed before SAM said, “Before I agree, I would like to ask you a question.”

“Okay.”

“Do you love her?”

There was no hesitation in Reyes’ reply. “Yes, I do.”

“Then I will keep your involvement a secret.”

“Thank you, SAM.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Vidal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I'll be starting the next part of the series very soon so make sure you're on the lookout!


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